Bad Apples in Every Barrel

Xerox. WorldCom. Enron. Dynegy. Global Crossing.

It's enough to make you lose faith in corporate America. But not me.

Serious ethical lapses among our nation's Catholic priests. It's enough to make you think they're all perverts. But not me.

Political finger pointing over who knew what and when "before" September 11. It's enough to make you think all our security agencies are clueless. But not me.

Some of you who watch this show regularly rib me for being a Pollyanna — a clueless optimist, as one viewer wrote.

May I respond? I'm guilty as charged. I much prefer to believe in what's right, than swear by what's wrong. That doesn't mean I don't mention what's wrong.

The corporations who cheat and should be brought down.

The bureaucrats who bungle and should be held accountable.

The wayward priests who shame their profession and should be punished.

But there's a big difference between attacking some and condemning all.

I do not believe all corporations are bad. Or all CEOs are crooked. Or all boardrooms are corrupt. I do believe there are bad apples in every barrel, in every profession, in every country, everywhere.

Sometimes they come to light, like now. Sometimes they don't. But just because they do, it doesn't mean I ever lose sight of this: The world is more good than it is bad. There is more to be happy about than damning about.

A journalism professor once wrote in and told me that's exactly what's wrong with me.

"You're not cynical enough," he wrote. I'll never forget his tagline, "You're a disgrace to your profession because you're too emotional."

May I suggest, professor, you're a disgrace to your profession because you're not.

What do you think?  Send your comments to: cavuto@foxnews.com. And watch Neil Cavuto's Common Sense weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on Your World w/Cavuto.